The Toyin Oni Foundation has called for sustained investment in cancer care, urging stakeholders to move beyond awareness campaigns and strengthen prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and support for survivors.
The call was made at the foundation’s 15th anniversary cancer advocacy and fundraising seminar in Lagos on Thursday, where health experts and government officials highlighted persistent gaps in cancer care and the urgent need for stronger collaboration across the healthcare sector.
The seminar, themed “Beyond Awareness: Understanding Cancer from Prevention to Survivorship,” focused on improving access to screening, ensuring timely treatment and providing sustained support for patients beyond recovery.
Delivering the keynote address, a haematologist and Chief Executive Officer of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre and Specialist Hospital, Professor Modupe Odunsi, stressed that effective cancer care must extend beyond public awareness to encompass every stage of a patient’s journey.
She emphasised the need for a coordinated healthcare system that prioritises prevention and early detection, facilitates prompt access to appropriate treatment and provides patients with psychological, nutritional and social support.
Odunsi also underscored the importance of survivorship care, noting that patients require continued support even after completing treatment, as recovery extends beyond the hospital and into their everyday lives.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, called for stronger partnerships among government institutions, healthcare professionals, private organisations and communities to improve cancer prevention and control.
He stressed that awareness campaigns must translate into measurable action, including wider access to screening, early presentation at health facilities, effective treatment and consistent follow-up care.
Also speaking at the event, the wife of the Ogun State governor, Bamidele Abiodun, represented by Mrs Folakemi Fatogbe, highlighted the need for cancer advocacy to empower individuals and families with the knowledge to make informed health decisions.
She also emphasised the importance of preventive practices, early detection and supportive environments for people living with cancer, as well as those who have completed treatment.
The founder of the Toyin Oni Foundation, Akintola Oni, said the organisation’s cancer advocacy efforts were inspired by the death of his wife, Toyin Oni, from breast cancer.
The foundation’s 15th anniversary seminar and fundraising initiative reinforced the need to transform cancer awareness into sustained action through increased investment, stronger healthcare partnerships and practical interventions that address gaps in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship support.
The event also renewed calls for a more comprehensive approach to cancer care, one that places patients at the centre of healthcare delivery and ensures that support does not end when treatment does.
